A Late Night Cup of Tea
by Rinnington
Summary: Molly and Remus have a conversation after the events in the Department of Mysteries. Just a short one chapter fic. Please Read & Review.


Author's Note~ This is a shipless fic! Do you understand? Shipless. I like Molly Weasely and I love Remus Lupin, but do not think I am trying to imply anything further about their relationship than friendship. Molly and Arthur are just too cute with each other for anything of that sort.  
  
Okay, now that that's out of the way. . .just a short little fic about the aftermath of Order of the Pheonix. I hope you enjoy it, and you don't think Remus was being too much of a drama queen!  
  
A small pinprick of light floated through the supernaturally dark halls of 12 Grimmauld Place. The light hovered gently on the edge of Molly Weasely's wand, scattering the shadows before her and illuminating her weary face.  
  
The woman's forehead was etched permanently in worry, and her always concerned brown eyes were exhausted. She hugged her rather frayed bathrobe against her body tightly, staring at the floor. Beady eyes of decapitated house elves seemed to stare at her, knowing that she was a blood traitor for marrying Arthur, and not welcome here.  
  
A noise caught her wary ear. It was a soft sound, no more than the flicker of a cloak in the night. Her body tensed, and the nightmare that had brought her out into the halls at 2 am returned. Death Eaters, the subject of her every dream, always after some family member. She was still shaky from Ron's close encounter just a week ago in the Department of Mysteries. None of her family were here tonight, although Molly wasn't sure if that was good or bad. Somehow, when she had to constantly scold the twins and stop Arthur from blowing himself up with faulty muggle devices, she felt calmer.  
  
The noise had come from a door behind the dining room. Her wand shaking slightly in hand, Molly crept towards the noise. There it was again, a soft swoosh, and the crinkle of ancient parchment. Biting on her lower lip until it turned white, she creaked open the door.  
  
"Oh!" she exclaimed, then lowered her voice to a whisper. "I am sorry, dear. I wasn't expecting you to be in here."  
  
The room was a study of some sort, and the inhabitant sat at a desk, pouring over a pile of books nearly as tall as he was. Molly peered inquisitively at the man, giving him the look the Fred and George would describe as 'infuriatingly concerned.' Remus Lupin had always had the look of a continuous flu about him, but he looked worse than ever right now. She knew he got very sick after some transformations, but he always kept to himself for the day following a bad one.  
  
Remus smiled warmly at her, his dulled gray eyes squinting in her wand's unaccustomed light. The study was lit only by a small candle on Remus's desk. "Not to worry, Molly," Remus reassured her. "Although, you gave me a bit of a start myself. What are you doing about at this hour?" he asked gently, closing the book he had been reading.  
  
"Oh," sighed Molly, an embarrassed pink coming to her cheeks, "It's silly. Just a nightmare." She gave him a sheepish grin.  
  
"Ah," said Remus quietly. He stood and approached her, shabby robes trailing the ground, and put an arm around her shoulders. "It's not at all silly," he reassured her. "After our- my first few battles, I had quite my share of nightmares. I'd be surprised if you weren't having them."  
  
Molly frowned. "Yes," she responded dubiously, "but you were actually fighting You-Know-Who. I was just here at home. You have to admit it's a bit, well, cowardly."  
  
"But that's worse, isn't it? Just waiting around to see who comes back?" Hegave her a sympathetic look, and Molly nodded in agreement. Remus raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Besides, Molly Weasely, anyone who can instill that much terror in Mundungus Fletcher cannot possibly be considered a coward." Molly laughed, and Remus smiled, removing his arm. "I'm making some tea. Would you like some?" he asked kindly.  
  
Molly glanced at the clock on the wall showing the movements of different planets and stars. She remembered her astronomy lessons, and gave Remus a doubtful glance. "Tea? At this hour?"  
  
A smile crossed his lips as Remus walked over to another table, where a teacup was being heated. He took out a chipped old teacup, and with a wave of his wand turned an empty inkwell into a piece of new china.  
  
"Lovely muggle invention," he responded, pouring the tea into the two cups. "'Decaf' they call it. Won't trouble your sleep at all." He offered Molly the new teacup, and she took it into her hands. She took a small sip of the drink. It was very hot, but had a sweet honey taste. Remus beckoned for her to sit, so she sank into one of the dusty old armchairs. Remus pulled up the little desk chair, and sat down on that.  
  
"It's good," said Molly conversationally. "Sweet."  
  
"Yes," chuckled Remus, "I've a bit of a sweet tooth. But I've found a good cup of tea can do wonders in healing upsets."  
  
Molly took another deep sip. "Really?" she smiled. "I've found the same thing. I have a bit of a reputation in my house for immediately reaching for a teapot no matter what the problem is." She chuckled, and Remus smiled. Molly looked away from him down into the cushion, and then set the cup down on the table and sighed gratefully. "Thank you, Remus. I really do get upset. . ." Without warning, she felt her eyes fill with tears. She wiped them away with a hand quickly. Remus watched over the edge of his cup, but did not comment.  
  
"It's just," continued Molly, "I worry so much that one of them will get hurt. . ." She didn't have to clarify. Remus had seen the shape of her boggart.  
  
"I know," sighed Remus wistfully, slouching his shoulders. "But that's life, isn't it? Worrying does no good. All you can do is just. . .hope for the best." He stared so hard into the cup that Molly wondered if he was trying to divine his fortune. Finally, he took a long, deep drink. Then, he sighed again, smiled, and said gently "I'm sure it'll be alright, Molly. We have Dumbledore. He'll make sure that. . .nothing goes wrong."  
  
Molly picked up her tea cup, and drank another small sip. She felt her eyes water again. "I know, I know, but oh Remus. . ." he voice fell to a low whisper. "They're my whole world. You can't understand how that feels."  
  
"Mmm," responded Remus, taking another sip of tea. Molly again wiped away her tears and regained her composure.  
  
"I'm sorry," she smiled at her companion. "I do get carried away." She met his gaze, and noticed more than ever the deep lines and sleepless eyes. She was fairly sure the full moon was weeks away. "What are you doing awake so late at night?" Molly asked concernedly. Remus looked mildly surprised at the question.  
  
"Just. . .some research," he answered casually, looking in interest at the patterns on his teacup.  
  
"Ah," nodded Molly sagely. "Some of Dumbledore's Order work, then? You're so dedicated!" She said brightly.  
  
Remus shifted his weight on the chair. "Well, actually," he responded, "it's a bit of my own work. Some subjects I'm, er, interested in."  
  
Molly took a small sip of tea, and peered interestedly at Remus. "Oh, how wonderful. What have you been studying?"  
  
"It's not really anything important," said Remus calmly, looking into the bottom of his cup through the clear golden brown.  
  
"Hmmm," said Molly, watching Remus's behavior with interest. "I'd still like to see. . ." She stood up and walked towards Remus's desk. Remus stood quickly, and hurried after her, sloshing a bit of tea over the edge of the cup.  
  
"Molly," he said in a slightly less calm voice. "Listen. . ."  
  
Molly glanced at the book titles and sifted through them, then looked at Remus with a worried frown. "What are these?" she asked. Remus didn't respond, but looked at her awkwardly. Molly shook her head, saying the titles aloud as much to herself as to the wizard. "'The Principles of Necromancy?' 'A Study of Life and Death?' 'Ghosts, Spirits, and The World Beyond?'" The other books all bore a similar topic. Molly thought of the last week's events in slightly broader terms than her son's injury and the danger he and Harry had been in.  
  
"Oh, Remus," she whispered. Remus dropped the teacup very suddenly, and it shattered, spreading cheap china across the floor and dripping tea into the carpet. He gripped the edge of the desk, as if trying to balance himself.  
  
"He was my best friend!" Remus exclaimed. Molly staredat him, surprised by his outburst. It occurred to her that she'd never seen Remus get upset about anything before. The werewolf's shoulders drooped, and his tone quickly lost its defensive edge. "Do you expect me to just give up?" he whispered urgently. "Should I abandon him? I've been alone before. I don't fancy doing it again."  
  
He let go of the desk, stood to his full height, and breathed deeply in and out, calming himself. On impulse, Molly squeezed his arm. Remus was so ready to take care of everyone that it was easy to forget that he needed to be taken care of, as well.  
  
"Oh, Remus, I'm so sorry," she sighed gently. "But you needn't fear being alone. Everyone here cares about you. . ." she smiled teasingly, "with the possible exception of Severus."  
  
Remus chuckled weakly, back to his own self. He pulled himself out of Molly's grip. "Thank you, Molly," he said gently, looking more tired than ever. He glanced at the astronomical clock, and Molly's tired face. "It's getting quite, er, early," he smiled.  
  
"Right," smiled Molly back at him. "I'll be getting back to bed. And you?" she questioned, giving him her well-toned mother's 'I really think it's past your bedtime' look.  
  
Remus's smile dropped. He glanced towards the teacup shards on the floor, gently scooped them up, and placed them on the table in a pile. "Molly, I. . ." he said finally. "This is something I need to do."  
  
Molly squeezed his arm gently again. "Alright then," she conceded, "But take care. I don't need another person to worry about, do I?"  
  
Remus sat again at his desk. Weary gray eyes met harried brown ones. "Pleasant dreams, Molly," he said gently.  
  
"Goodnight, Remus," she responded, gently shutting the door on him. Once it was closed, she frowned sadly, and her hand reached impulsively for the doorknob. But she shook her head, and tiptoed away. There was a swoosh and a crinkle in the dark halls as another old page turned. 


End file.
